Inspirations
by The Marauders
Summary: A kouyako sequel to my Kenyako fic, Butterfly. Miyako starts writing romance fanfiction, but she needs some inspiration. . .*¤*Moony*¤*
1. Prodigious or Perfecto?

_Disclaimer:  I do not own any part of Digimon.  I do, however, own an ADORABLE Gomamon plushie which sits above my computer.   His eyes are black, though.  Not the neat-o green that Gomie's really are.  I bought it at Toys R Us when my grandmother was getting all these toys for my cousin.  I put a bunch of Digimon stuff in the cart, but she ended up buying it all for him!  It's no fair!  *gets bonked on the head by random person* Right.  Where was I?  Oh yeah, I don't own Toys R Us.  I would've thought that was obvious, but hey, some of you might be a little obvious-impaired._

_Author's Note:  This is supposed to be a sequel to my other fic, Butterfly.  Unfortunately, I have not seen the ending of the second series.  Hell, I haven't even seen that much of the second series.  I just saw enough of the characters to develop an obsession with them._

_So, I apologize for any incorrect thing-a-majigs that should happen to pop up.  I wouldn't mind if you e-mailed and corrected me to save me any future trouble_

_Also, I was always extremely confused about the ages.  So, in this story, Miyako's 14 and Koushirou's 16._

_Arigatou, and enjoy!_

_PS:  There's some subconscious Dai-bashing in this, so watch yourselves.  But it's really not my fault.  I can't help it if he's an idiot._

Inspirations 

By Moony

Chapter One:  Prodigious or Perfecto?

Inoue Miyako gazed out the window in the Computers room, watching the clouds float by.  Her mind felt as vacant as the sky and she sighed dramatically, turning her head back to the computer screen, her cheek resting on her palm with her other hand tapping against the desk.

'_Think, think, think, think_' she thought.  Her eyes slid over the few words she'd typed into the word processing program, but soon they slid out of focus, jumbling together and melting away.  She shook her head, coming back into reality, and let out a loud, exasperated sigh.

 "Oh, it's useless!"  She said, slumping back in her chair.  She stretched her neck from side to side, her irritation rising.

"What is?" 

Miyako slowly turned her head to see Izumi Koushirou looking down at her.  His brows were arched in a questioning manner and his ruffled red hair was looking particularly messy.  She knew he'd been working extra hard on a special virus-detecting program for the Digital world and she gave him an encouraging grin.

"Having some trouble with the programming?"  He asked, leaning down to look over her shoulder at the monitor.  Miyako blushed, and her head jerked forward to shut off the monitor, but she realized she was a bit too late.  She moved her hand to scratch her neck, awkwardly, and turned to look down the lines of busy students.

"Actually, it's . . . it's . . . a . . . uhhh . . ." The end of her sentence was mumbled so quietly that Koushirou obviously had no clue what she'd even said.  He cocked his head to the side, his brow arched in concern.

"It's what?"

"Aa . . ."

"Miyako?"

"It's a romance fanfic!!"

"Ah."  He said, trying to sound comprehensive but his expression doing him no justice.  He nodded as if understanding, but Miyako shrugged helplessly.

"It's a story I'm writing based on a TV series."  She explained, growing even more embarrassed.  Revelation dawned across his face and he made a slight "Aha" under his breath.  He pursed his lips, leaning down again to read what she had already written.  

"May I?"  He asked, hesitantly.  Miyako smiled, knowing perfectly well that he was trying to be polite and didn't actually care at all.    She gave him an appreciative look and gestured towards the monitor.

"Be my guest."  She said, trying to sound casual.  Really, she had no faith in what she was doing at all.  She wrote very little and even then it wasn't always top quality work, but she still had enough faith in her abilities under normal circumstances.  However with this story she'd come across a bit of a snag that held her back.  Miyako was the kind of girl who wrote best from experience.  Unfortunately, the last time she'd come anywhere NEAR love had been two years ago, and that had resulted in the heartbreak of finding out that he was her worst enemy.  She had forgiven him, when she was ready, and he was now her best friend.  Her lack of experience made a love story extremely hard to write.  

"It's very good, so far."  Koushirou said, placing a hand on her shoulder and standing straight.  Miyako arched her brow in surprise and looked up at him, waiting for his feedback.  "I like the way that you have Koichi being too shy to tell Minako how he feels.  I'd like to hear the rest of it when you've got it all figured out."   He smiled down at her, and Miyako suddenly felt a strange warmth fill her gut.  It started down low and grew up inside of her.  Miyako turned deep crimson.  Could it mean that she . . . that Koushirou . . . 

Her stomach growled loudly, drawing the attention of a few nearby students who studied her for a moment before returning to their work.  Miyako slapped a hand to her stomach in embarrassment, the red tint in her face intensifying by several degrees.

Or, it could just mean that she was hungry.  She smiled sheepishly and bowed her head.

"Hungry?"  He asked, his smile widening.

"Just a little."  She whispered, trying to force her face back to her normal colour, which was extremely hard to do.  Her technique often involved her holding her breath and squinting, but this often led to her looking purple:  hardly an improvement.

"Well, let me treat you to lunch then."  He reached down and took her hand, helping her to her feet.  "You can't work on an empty stomach."

After some careful deliberation, they decided that Seh-mi made better sushi than McDonald's, so they walked the extra block, which they spent arguing over which was a better catch phrase; _prodigious_, or _perfecto_.

"No, no, Miyako.  _Prodigious_ is an actual word."

"But you say it too often.  It's like Viscinni from The Princess Bride.  He said 'inconceivable' so many times, it was hard to believe he actually knew what it meant."

"But _prodigious_ has more meaning behind it than _perfecto_."

"But _perfecto_ is universal!  Everyone knows what it means!"

"That can be a bad thing.  _Prodigious_ is a word that people haven't heard, so they'll think you're smarter for saying it."

A throat clearing.  "_Prodigious_ means the same thing as prodigy, just as an adjective instead of a noun."  She cast a sideways glance in his direction, smiling a bit smugly, but not too much.

"Anyone with a dictionary could know that."  Koushirou said, simply.  He ignored Miyako's shocked glared as he opened the door, gesturing for him to enter the restaurant.

            "Ladies' first."  He said, keeping his face perfectly straight.

Ichijouji Ken sat on a bench, reading a particularly boring novel on morality and political resolutions.  It was a warm, sunny day and he'd had a free period, so he'd taken his book for his Modern Politics and Societies class and gone out to study it outside.   He was entertaining the thought of going back to the school and picking his best friend up for lunch, when he glanced up and saw two figures walking towards the sushi restaurant on the other side of the road.  One was male, slightly taller than the other and wearing the familiar green uniform that Ken was wearing at the same moment.   The other was a shorter girl, long hair flowing down her back.

"Well, speak of the devil."  He said quietly.  He watched them with an amused expression on his face as they entered the restaurant, the girl going first as the young man held the door open for her.

"Such a gentleman."  He frowned, feeling a bit protective of the petite girl he considered to be his.  He knew he had no influence over her love life, but as her best friend, a sense of ownership overcame him none the less.  He had always known that one day he'd have to see her spend more and more time with someone who could give her the love she wanted.  It had been inevitable from the very beginning.  Miyako was of medium-height, with long, graceful legs.  She had soft brown eyes that lit up when she smiled, and long, gorgeously violet hair.   It had been to his great surprise that she had managed to stay single this long, and it only worked for him to get more and more greedy for her attention.

He felt a surge of curiosity to know whom the young man had been - whether he knew the other or not.  The distance had been too great for him to tell; Miyako only distinguishable because he knew the way she walked and moved.  

A sudden inspiration.  Without knowing it, he quickly stood up.  Cat-like stealth ran through his body as he got up from his seat and crossed the road, avoiding any cars.  Sneaking towards the restaurant, he crouched below the window and slowly peaked inside.  Seeing Miyako and her date sitting in a booth only a few feet away from his peek-hole, he ducked quickly, his back pressed against he wall.

"Uhhh . . . what are you doing?"

Ken jumped and looked up to see an extremely familiar pair of goggles on an extremely clueless looking face.

"Daisuke!  Hi."  He tried to look casual and cool, standing up quickly and stepping away from the window, leaning against a wall.  Daisuke blinked, looking up at Ken, then turned to peer in the window.  When he did, his eyes widened and he grinned.

"Heeeyy!!!  It's Miyako and Koushirou!"  Ken nearly face faulted. 

'_Koushirou?'_  He thought, calming down immediately.  He'd been worried about Koushirou?  He knew the older boy considered Miyako a colleague, a friend.  Nothing to be worried about. The clueless expression returned to Daisuke's face as Ken's shoulders relaxed.

"Ken, why were you spying on Miyako and Koushirou?"  

Ken started, suddenly.  Something about the way Daisuke had said Miyako _and_ Koushirou … it just didn't seem right.  Ken suddenly felt very uncomfortable.  He studied Daisuke and cocked his head to the side, considering him for a moment.

Ken smiled slyly, shaking his head and clucking his tongue.

"Daisuke, Daisuke … I'm not really spying.  It's just the two of them are planning a party for Hikari and I'm keeping watch to make sure she doesn't come by."

Ken knew he'd hit the right stimulus and Daisuke's eyes widened.

"A party for Hikari?  Why?" He asked.  Ken shrugged.

            "Do we need a reason?  We all care for her, right?  Really, though," he said, his voice taking on an admiring tone,  "it was Takeru's idea."  

            Bingo.  Daisuke's eyes narrowed and he peered into the restaurant through the glass.

            "I want to throw a party for Hikari!  Why didn't they ask me for help?"   

            Another nonchalant shrug.  

            "Don't ask me, I'm just standing guard.  Why don't you go in and ask them?"

Daisuke's face was already up against the glass and pounding angrily for their attention, and Ken stepped back, feeling guilty.  It _was_ just Koushirou.  He probably had nothing to worry about, and even if they were on a date, it was none of his business.  Miyako was his friend and friend only.  He could give her advice, not intervene with her affairs.  If she wanted to date Koushirou, then she had every right to.  He sighed, giving Daisuke a sideways glance, and walked away.

Koushirou was forced to stop his conversation with Miyako, which he'd been enjoying very much, to stare at the window where Daisuke was squeezed against the glass and frowning like a madman.  His fist pounded against the pane and customers were turning to stare, exchanging whispered comments.  

'_What in the_ …?'  Koushirou thought, as Miyako turned to see what he was looking at.  She groaned, and is eyes fell on her with new-discovered respect.

"How did you manage to put up with that?"  He asked her, leaning in and speaking in a whisper.  She lowered her face and peered at him from above her glasses, holding up a hand with her index finger and thumb almost pushed together.

"This close.  I came THIS close to telling Hawkmon to peck his eyes out."  Koushirou laughed but she turned to look at the glass and the boy beyond it, concerned.

"He looks angry, should we go ask him what it is?"  She asked.  Koushirou contemplated for a moment and was about to agree, when he saw Daisuke leave the window . . . heading towards the door.  He paled, his mind changing dramatically.

"What?"  Miyako asked, turning to look back at where Daisuke had been.  "Oh, no..."

"I was suddenly reminded of a very angry Taichi who realized that the notes I'd copied for him had been completely made up."  He admitted.  "Should we go?"  He reached into his pocket and pulled out a few notes, leaving them on the table.   He grabbed Miyako around the wrist and they burst out through the restaurant's back door, attracting a lot of strange looks.  They ran another two blocks before slumping down on a bench, gasping for breath.   They caught each other's looks and grinned, then laughed.  It wasn't entirely adventure on the high seas, but it certainly wasn't a normal day's events.

"Well, did that give you any inspiration for your story?"  He asked, standing up.  She thought for a moment, nodding.

"Yes!  Koichi and Minako shall be chased by the evil Dai-mon, ruining their date, yet forcing them into a nice, alone situation."  

Koushirou looked down at her, an eyebrow raised.  Suddenly realizing what she had said, she blushed furiously. 

"Well, I meant …" She shook her head, smiling.  "You know what I mean." Koushirou nodded in response, reaching down and offering her his hand, pulling her to her feet.

"Ready to go back and write it down, then?" He asked, and she nodded.

People might notice that this chapter has changed a LOT from when I initially posted it like a year ago -.-;;  That's because when I first wrote it I intended on going nowhere, and in the past little while I'd like to think my writing as improved a bit.  I've changed it a touch to improve the character style and the dialogue, and to make it flow better with the following chapters.  Hope you like it!


	2. Wise Old Big Brother Taichi

Inspirations  
By Moony  
  
Note: Oh GOD it's taken so long for me to write this. I understand how Miyako feels. I just wish that I was lucky enough to have a cute nerd like Koushirou to inspire me. . . Wait, my boyfriend's a cute nerd. . . Well, he doesn't help, much. I should fire him. ^_^  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or any of it's characters. It all belongs to some very rich people who work in big office buildings and probably own tennis courts.  
  
Chapter II: Wise Old Big Brother  
  
What bothered Miyako the most about writing the story was that she didn't feel confident about what she put down. Sure, she THOUGHT that love might feel like that, she SUPPOSED that she was describing the characters' feelings and emotions appropriately, but she didn't know for sure. Realization of that fact frightened her. What if she was completely wrong? What if she didn't recognize real love because she didn't know what it felt like?  
She panicked as a thought formed in her mind. Amidst the chaos of unorganized ideas, a few simple words flashed before her eyes, in crystal clear black and white.  
What if she'd been truly in love with Ken? What if she'd screwed up her only chance at happiness by saying she only wanted to be his friend? What if--  
"You know, you look like you're having a 'What-if' moment."  
Miyako jerked her head up to see Taichi standing in front of her, holding a soccer ball. "Either that, or you have some REALLY bad indigestion."  
Miyako's lips curved into a small smile, and Taichi stepped back, an unimpressed expression on his face.  
"That's it?! I give you my brainchild, and all I get is a tiny grin." He sat down beside her and nudged her side. "Come on, flash be those beautiful pearly whites." Miyako raised an eyebrow in response.  
"Does Sora know how much of a flirt you are?" She asked. Taichi grinned slyly.  
"But of course. How else do you suppose I managed to win her heart? Now, come on, what's bothering you?"  
Miyako's eyes fell on the notebook in her lap. She'd come to this park to brainstorm for ideas, but it hadn't turned out too well. Suddenly, her eyes lit up as she looked at Taichi, an idea forming in her mind.  
"Taichi, can I ask you something?"  
"Certainly. Wise Old Big Brother Taichi is always willing to share his vast knowledge with the new generation of Digidestined.  
"You're in love with Sora, right?" She blurted. Taichi blinked at her, shocked. That was obviously not exactly what he'd expected her to ask. After a moment or two, he regained himself.  
"Yes." He looked her in the eyes, his face serious.  
"How can you be so sure?" She asked, surprised by the matter-of-fact manner in which he'd answered her.  
"I just am." His voice was confident, and it confused Miyako.  
"But how do you know if you truly love someone?" She asked. Taichi sighed. So this is what she was trying to get to. He began hacking the soccer ball as he thought up an appropriate answer.  
"I could give you the symptoms. . ." he said, "But they might also show up during a very passionate crush." He gave Miyako a side-long glance. "So they aren't reliable. The only thing I can REALLY tell you will just frustrate and confuse you, and there's no way you could finally understand it until you feel love for yourself." He caught the ball in his hands, tucking it under his right arm. Miyako looked up at him expectantly.  
"And that is: When it happens, you'll just know." He winked at her as she blinked. "Does that answer your question?" He asked. Miyako sighed, realizing that she probably wouldn't find a less cryptic answer. She nodded.  
"Yeah, just one more thing. What does it feel like?" Her voice was thoughtful, yet eager for the reply. Taichi considered her question for a moment.  
"Love can only be successfully described by the professionals, so don't ask me. Go see a romantic movie. Sora dragged me to see 'Moulin Rouge' last weekend, you should try that." He closed his eyes and dropped the ball on the ground, his arms spreading out like an eagle.  
"Love lifts us up where you belong!!" He belted out. Miyako laughed as he saluted her before grabbing his soccer ball and running off.  
  
~~  
  
That evening, Taichi spoke with Sora on the phone.  
"I think the kid's starting to notice guys, now." He said, plucking absent-mindedly at the pieces of lint stuck to his soccer jersey. Sora let out an exaggerated sigh on the other end of the line.  
"Oh, brother. She started noticing guys three years ago. What she's noticing now is that cute guys and infatuations aren't enough. She needs her romantic side indulged. Why not have Yamato take her to a movie and see what she thinks?"  
Taichi thought for a moment. "Probably not a good idea, babe. Jun will have some way of finding out and she'll end up using Miyako's guts for violin strings."  
"Doesn't Jun even play the violin?"  
". . ."  
Sora groaned "Come on, Taichi! Be serious!"  
"I'm trying!" He whined. "This isn't exactly my area of expertise!" Sora took a breath.  
"Did she seem better when you left?"  
He squinted, trying to recall the day's earlier events. "No, she didn't really get the answer she was looking for. She wanted to know what love felt like, and I told her to go see a romantic movie."  
On the other end, there was a silence. Taichi said his girlfriend's name, and her reply was a light singing.  
"How wonderful life is, now you're in the world. . ." she sang.  
"Yeah! I told her to go see that!" Taichi exclaimed, proud that he could think the same way as Sora.  
"Maybe I should talk to her." She said to herself. Taichi sighed in relief.  
"Yes! Sora, you're the greatest."  
"Don't I know it."  
  
~~  
  
Miyako sat on the bench again, and she frowned. She was beginning to think that she was leaving an imprint in the seat itself, but she shook her head and focused her attention on the pen in her hand and the notebook on her lap. She'd contemplated calling Ken and asking for advice, but she decided that she couldn't safely talk to him with the confused thoughts she was having lately. She'd been trying to keep her mind distracted, but sitting there, staring at the blank pages on her notepad, it was so easy to let her mind drift. . .  
"Hoi, hoi, Miyako!" A cheery voice called out to her, averting her attention away from the friendship-endangering thoughts. She turned to see Sora standing behind her, smiling.  
"Hello." Miyako said. Sora came around the bench and took a seat beside the younger girl. Miyako paled at the realization that Taichi had obediently reported their conversation from yesterday to his girlfriend. She didn't want people to worry about her, so she forced a grin. Sora stared at her suspiciously.  
"What's up?" She asked, gently. Miyako laughed.  
"Mimi asked me to write her a story, but I don't know anything about love." She sighed. "Pretty weird for someone who bears the crest of love."  
Sora nodded, "Yeah, I was the same way. You shouldn't worry about it." She smiled in relief. Miyako wasn't depressed about her own love life, she was just lacking inspiration for a story. She grinned.  
"Well, chin up. Something will come to you." And with one more encouraging pat on the shoulder, she left Miyako alone again. 


	3. Are You Asking Me Out?

Inspirations  
By Moony  
  
  
Disclaimer: Digimon? Yeah, I don't own that. No. I don't. Stop it! I DON'T OWN IT, YOU HEAR?!?!? (Moony begins to weep)  
  
AN: Probably the most useful review I've ever received was from FireLily. Now THAT'S what I call constructive criticism! Unfortunately, Ken will not stop being possessive. It has to do with the story, you see. However, the comment on Koushirou went right home, and I hope it's obvious in the following chapter.   
Also. . . just in case some people don't know, I know that Miyako ends up with Ken and that Sora ends up with Yamato in the actual series. I just. . . don't care. ^_^ And I don't have any preferences for any of the other characters. I don't care if Mimi dates Jyou or Yamato, I don't mind if Kari likes Takeru or Daisuke. . . . but some days I might lean one way, and other days I might lean in the other. So if I happen to mention somewhere that Mimi's dating Jyou or whatever, that's just because I was in that kind of mood, and that doesn't mean I support it or anything. Because we all know how passionate Digimon fans can be about their couples. . . (It's like Labyrinth fans. Mention that Sarah might be cute if she went on a date with Hoggle and they gut you for not supporting Jarreth and Sarah. . . )  
All right, that's my rant! Sorry if it's kind of short (the story, not the rant) and, as always, R&R, please!!!   
  
Chapter III: Are You Asking Me Out?  
  
Sora sat with Taichi in the food court of the mall, slurping on a vanilla milk shake. She jiggled her foot under the table as she hummed a song to herself, desperately trying to remain conscious as her boyfriend slumped over the table before her.  
"That is the last time I EVER pull an all-nighter." He groaned, his voice muffled by the sleeve of his shirt. Sora managed to smile and nod before she had to direct her energy elsewhere.  
"Fun test, wasn't it?" Koushirou asked as he came up to them. Taichi's only reply was a faint sob as he was too tired to yell at his brilliant friend for not having the same difficulties as himself. He did manage to move over to allow Koushirou to take a seat, though.  
Sora smiled softly, still too tired to say much. However, Taichi suddenly jerked his head up, filled with some new-found energy.  
"What about Miyako? Is she all right?" Taichi demanded. Sora noticed Koushirou's eyes widen and his attention perk at the mention of Miyako.  
"Was something wrong with her? She was fine a few days ago." He frowned. Sora opened her mouth to explain, but Taichi interrupted.  
"What happened a fewy days ago?" he asked. Koushirou shrugged.  
"I took her out to lunch."  
This time, Sora found her voice in time.  
"Well, she's fine. She just needs some ideas for a love story she's trying to write. . ." She trailed off, staring at Koushirou through her eyelashes as she was struck with a plan.  
"It'd be nice if someone would take her out, show her a good time. . . give her some inspiration. . ." She said, quietly. Taichi looked at her strangely, and followed her gaze. He grinned, and snapped his fingers as if a brilliant thought had just occurred to him.  
"Say, Koushirou! Why don't YOU--"  
"Oh, be quiet, Taichi. You insult my intelligence." His friend replied, and he leaned on the table, placing his head in his palms.  
"How on earth do you think my taking Miyako out will help her?"  
Sora frowned "How wouldn't it?"  
Koushirou mimicked her expression, making an exasperated noise. "I'm a computer geek, Sora. Not a womanizer. Get Yamato to do it." Koushirou found himself regretting the words as soon as he'd said them, however, for he found his throat clenching at the thought of rock-star Yamato taking pure little Miyako on a date.  
"Oh, all right! Just leave me alone." Koushirou cried. He got to his feet as Sora whooped with delight. As he walked off, a heavy feeling overcame him. The sense of foreboding caused him to reconsider; this could not end well.  
  
Koushirou hesitated, his finger hovering over the last digit in Miyako's phone number. He didn't know why he was doing this. He conceded to the fact that Miyako was a nice, cute girl, but he'd never consider dating her. What he'd told Sora earlier was the obvious truth: He was a computer geek, not a womanizer. He rarely felt comfortable around people of the opposite sex, especially not when he was starting to consider them as a possible love interest.  
He sighed. If it was guaranteed that it would just be dinner and a movie, he wouldn't think twice about it, but Sora and Taichi wanted him to ask her out, and the last thing he wanted was to have Miyako believed that he had a crush on her. He jumped, suddenly, as he heard a ringing in his ear. He'd dialed the last number without even realizing it. He waited impatiently, ring after ring, and was just about to hang up when Miyako answered the phone, blurting her apologies.  
"Sorry, I was just outside and I couldn't find my keys and--"  
"Uhh, Miyako?" Koushirou interrupted, trying not to grin. He remembered, then, that he was talking to her over the phone and he could grin as much as he liked.  
Miyako hesitaed. "Koushirou?" she guessed.  
"Yes, how are you?" He asked, fiddling nervously with the hem of his Khakis. Miyako's reply was cheerful.  
"Oh, good, thanks. Still having problems with that story, though. I should tell Mimi it's more trouble than it's worth."  
"Oh, don't do that. I'm sure it'll come to you." He stopped, unsure of how he should phrase his next question. "Listen. . ." he started, "I. . . I was supposed to go to see Moulin Rouge tonight with my mother, and I bought advanced tickets, but she has to work tonight, so she had to cancel on me. Since you need help getting ideas for your story, why don't you come with me? Of course, I'd understand if you didn't want to. . ." He spoke the last sentence quickly, trying to make himself sound less idiotic then he knew he did. He waited nervously for an answer, and after a moment, when it didn't come, he frowned.  
"Miyako?"  
Finally, her reply came.  
"Are you asking me out?" was all she said. Koushirou winced. This was it. "Show her a good time." Sora's voice rang in her head.  
"Yes." He answered.  
"Oh." Miyako said. Koushirou's shoulders sagged at the realization that she'd say no, but he suddenly remembered that he didn't really want to go out with her, anyway.  
"Sorry." He told her.   
"Oh, no, I didn't mean--" she broke off, laughing. "I'd love to go! It just came as a surprise." Koushirou bit his lip.  
"So, I'll pick you up at five?" He suggested, grimacing.  
"That'd be great! See you at five, then!" 


	4. Turning Tables

Inspirations

By Moony

Disclaimer:  There is no owning of the Digimon going on here, ya hear?

Chapter IV: Turning Tables

            Koushirou winced as he hung up the phone, trying not to think about what he'd just done.  He wasn't the type to go out on dates; it just never appealed to him.  In fact – he started, his eyes widening – he didn't recall ever being on a date of any description.  He cursed under his breath as he realized that agreeing to take Miyako out was the most ridiculous thing he'd ever done, and he stopped to wonder why he'd succumbed so quickly.  It wasn't as if they'd put a tremendous amount of pressure on him.  He sighed, shaking his head.  No sense in worrying about it, what's done is done.  He'd just have to wait and see it through.

            Three hours later, Koushirou found himself sitting next to Miyako in a dark theatre watching a romance movie.  He'd gone to get her an hour prior, and he'd been stunned to see her in a form-fitting peach dress he imagined she'd borrowed from one of her sisters. However, as Koushirou watched the movie, he couldn't help but enjoy himself, and he was even able to forget that he was supposed to be on a date with her.  While the actors sung onscreen, he told himself they were just hanging out as friends, and that he wasn't leading her on in any way.  The thought did occur to him that he didn't think she'd be disappointed it if turned out he wasn't interested in her.  She'd probably only said yes to him out of pity, thinking he was a dorky guy who never got any girls.  He definitely wasn't the most popular of the group.  Yamato was the dazzling rock start beau; Taichi was the goofy, charismatic athlete.  Even of her own age, Miyako had plenty of options.  Daisuke was an airhead but still charming and attractive.  Takeru was the typical, sensitive nice guy.  And, of course, there was Ken . . . 

But it had been _Koushirou_ who'd called her up, and she'd said yes to _him_.  Not Ken or Yamato, but Koushirou!  

            He felt his cheeks grown warm.  When she'd agreed, he'd only considered how awkward he'd feel and how guilty he'd be.  He hadn't realized that Miyako had actually said yes to going on a date with him.  She'd implied that she _wanted _to pursue a romantic relationship with him.

            He took a sip of his drink; swallowing slowly and attempting to will his attention back to the movie.  His eyes slid out of focus and he saw himself standing in Christian's place, belting out love songs to an aloof Miyako.  She warmed up to the idea of being serenaded and joined in, and Koushirou found himself wondering if something like that had actually happened, but maybe just the other way around?

            By the end of the evening, he'd associated practically every character in the movie with one of his friends, casting Ken as the Duke for lack of a better fit.  His eyes were wide as the credits began to roll, and he shook his head stubbornly.

            This was to get her out of her slump, she'd feel better after this and they'd never need to date again.  He glanced over, seeing Miyako's cheeks were flushed and she stared at the screen with wide-eyed admiration.

            "That was beautiful!"  She said, her voice delighted.  She rose from her seat and for a moment, Koushirou pictured her floating among a pastel nothing, her frame surrounded by flowers as stars shone in her eyes.  He shook his head once more, chuckling.  He'd been watching way too much after-school anime.

            He lifted himself from his seat and Miyako joined him as they left the theatre, the evening air nipping at their faces.  Koushirou checked his watch.  It was 8 o'clock; still way too early to call it an evening.

            "Would you like to go for a walk?"  He asked.  Miyako nodded, cheerfully, her mind obviously dwelling on the movie.  They crossed the street, heading east towards the park while minding the other pedestrians.  Koushirou noticed them as young lovers holding hands, and he turned his gaze away, nervously.  He chewed on the inside of his cheek, growing irritated as he ran out of places to avert his gaze, and he realized with shock that he was envious of them.  He struggled to determine why, but he didn't like the way his thoughts were unraveling.  Did he want to be holding Miyako's hand and embracing her for warmth?  His cheeks flared up at the idea as he pictured himself wrapping his arms around her as she snuggled closer to him, burying her head in the crook of his neck.  

            He took one giant mental leap backwards.  He was being ridiculous.  He was letting this fake date assault him with ludicrous possibilities.   Besides, he was clearly not interested in Miyako. His embarrassment at the idea of getting close to her was proof of that.  Why else would he have blushed?  No, the reason he was jealous was because the couples were on real, legitimate dates, and not forced get-togethers so that Koushirou could help cheer up a cute friend.

            He groaned inwardly, catching himself.  He'd meant how a little sister would be cute.  That's all.  He studied her out of the corner of his eye.  Her gaze was distant and he imagined she was replaying her favourite scenes over in her head.  

'_It should be illegal for a little sister to look that good in a dress_.'

"So did you like the movie?"  He said, loudly.  It sounded rather stupid at that volume, but he'd been desperately trying to erase the dangerous thoughts from his mind. Miyako blinked her way back to reality, turning her gaze towards her date.

            "I mean, do you think it gave you some ideas for your story?"  He salvaged, trying not to sound like a total idiot.  It was all too obvious that she'd enjoyed it, after all.  

            She bit her lip, pensively, her teeth soon bared in a grin.

            "I think so . . ." she nodded, narrowing her eyes and cocking her head to the side.  "Yeah, the style's obviously different, but I think it gave me a few ideas."

            He laughed nervously, looking away.

            "I'm glad."  He replied, not knowing what to say next.  He didn't like the way his thoughts were going, and he needed to keep his mind on track.  He was just meant to cheer her up, but his subconscious was waiting around every corner to ambush him.  It told him that she'd said yes to going on a date with him.  A girl like Miyako was interested in him.  What should he do or say to keep her interested?

            He caught himself.

            '_Stop it!_' He scolded, '_You don't like Miyako.'_  He couldn't believe how insane he was being.  He'd known her for a couple of years, since she'd first joined his computer group.  Then he'd found out about her and the Digitial World, and he'd been concerned, much like the rest of the group.  He and the others were all seasoned veterans by that point, but with the exceptions of Takeru and Hikari, the rest were fresh and young.  Miyako, especially, had seemed the type who wouldn't want to be involved, but she'd done admirably and there were countless times when Koushirou had been amazed at her resilience.  She was a capable, caring, generous young woman.  She was intelligent, friendly, and courageous, as well.

            Koushirou found himself adding on adjectives until eventually the list was too long to remember, and a thought struck him down.

            He couldn't find a single characteristic about Miyako that he didn't like.  Not a single one.  Everything she did, every habit or minor detail, never failed to please him.  In his eyes, she was perfect. 

            Koushirou paled at the thought, slowly turning his head to study her again.  The way her hair fell lightly around her face, he had the urge to reach up and touch it, wrap the strands around his fingers and relish its softness.  She was beautiful, too.  Koushirou smiled gently.  He'd never really noticed before.

            "Well, my house is just around here.  I guess I should be heading home."  She said.  Her voice sounded bright and sunny, and all he could do was grin upon hearing it.  Miyako saw his smile and returned it, albeit a bit sadly, and continued walking.

            They exited the park and crossed the street, approaching Miyako's door.  She took a step up, looking down on Koushirou, and smiling appreciatively.  Koushirou felt somewhat disappointed.  He'd been enjoying her company, even if it had been in silence.

            "Good night."  He said, softly.  Miyako nodded.

            "Good night."  She looked aside, awkwardly, and for a heart-stopping moment Koushirou thought she was expecting him to kiss her.  He felt his body temperature shoot up several degrees before she opened her mouth to speak again.

"Hey, Koushirou . . . I know you only asked me out to cheer me up. So thank you.  You're one of the kindest people I know, and a great friend.  I'll see you at school on Monday!"  She waved, turning and entering the building. She left Koushirou speechless, standing in the empty street.

            '_No.'_


	5. Ken's Rival

Inspirations

By Moony

Chapter V: Ken's Rival

            '_No!'_

            Koushirou buried his face against his pillows, biting back a curse.

            '_No! No! No!'_

            How could this happen?  He falls for Miyako and suddenly it turns out she doesn't like him after all?   Did some god he'd denied the existence of decide that he would be the perfect target for revenge?  Was it some kind of joke?    Worst yet, was he really that _stupid_?  She'd said yes because she knew he only wanted to cheer her up!  She wasn't interested in him at all!

            And now his chest felt like it was being squeezed in a vice and his mouth tasted bitter and dry.  Now, he admitted, he was royally screwed, and all because he thought she liked him.  He was so stupid!  To think a girl like Miyako ... he shook his head.   Even if he hadn't thought that, it would've been inevitable.  He could tell.  He'd been so busy telling himself that he didn't want to like her that he didn't notice it was all a big lie.  Of course he liked Miyako.  How could he not?  She was perfect!  He'd finally realized it and now he was lost, a hopeless fool trying to figure out what to do next.    The feelings clearly weren't mutual, so what _could _he do?  What could he say?

            The phone rang.  Koushirou didn't answer.  He wanted to sleep, now, to make the world go away.  Just to sleep ... 

            A knock at his door.  His mother's voice.

            "Koushirou?  Taichi's on the phone!"

            The gears in his brain whirred.  A nanosecond passed before a thought clicked into his head.  He rose like a thunderbolt, snatching his handheld off its cradle and placing it to his ear.

            "Taichi?"  He asked, hearing his mother hang up on her end.  Koushirou knew his voice sounded earnest and he tried to calm down, taking deep breaths.

            "Well, lover-boy, how'd it go?"  Taichi asked, seemingly oblivious to Koushirou's odd tone.  He was clearly more interested in teasing his friend about the date than the shorter boy's welfare.   Koushirou groaned in response, banging his forehead against a nearby wall.

            "That bad, huh?"  Came Taichi's reply, and Koushirou quickly shook his head despite the fact that his friend couldn't see him do so.

            "You don't understand."  His voice was pitiful and he didn't bother to try and cover it up.  Jyou, Taichi, Sora  ... they were his best friends.  If anyone was allowed to see him acting differently from his usually emotionally indifferent self, it was those three.  Koushirou wasn't like Yamato.  He didn't push away his emotions and mask them as if they didn't matter.  Rather, he simply acknowledged them, recognized them, and put them aside for later when he could deal with them in a logical way.   At the moment, however, he wanted help now.  Not later.   He took a deep breath.

            "Miyako doesn't like me."  He mumbled.

            "Yeah … and?'  Taichi prodded. Koushirou winced, wishing Taichi would sound at least a bit surprised.  Obviously this wasn't coming as news to him.  He took another breath before going on.

            "I _want_ her to like me."  He admitted, quietly.  Taichi was silent on the other end of the line, so Koushirou went on.

            "I can't believe how stupid I was …"

            A burst of laughter cut him off, and Koushirou crinkled his brow.

            "Taichi?" He asked.  His friend giggled lightly before taking repeated breaths in an attempt to calm down.

            "That's rich.  Perfect, really.  'I _want_ her to like me.'" Taichi mimicked, chuckling.  "_Really?  _You don't say?  Yeah, I wish that came as a big surprise, Izumi."

            Koushirou felt his cheeks grow infuriatingly warm and her rubbed at them with a free hand.  So was that it?  Another injustice?  Everyone had realized that he liked Miyako before even he knew it?

            "So what are you going to do now?"  Taichi asked, his chuckles gone and his now supportive.  Koushirou relaxed, shrugging.  He stretched out his free arm and paced about his bedroom.

            "Nothing I can do."  He said, sighing.  "If she doesn't like me, she doesn't like me."

            Now a groan came from Taichi's side.  

            "How can you be so smart and so dumb at the same time?"  Taichi asked. "You have to MAKE her like you, then.  And what a better chance than now?  She's having trouble writing a romantic story, right?  So inspire her, for crying out loud!"

            Koushirou said goodbye a while later.  After he turned out the light and lay in bed, waiting for sleep to claim him, he considered his ceiling, pensively.

            It wasn't that easy.  He wasn't his friends.  He wasn't outgoing like Taichi or popular like Yamato or even reliable like Jyou.  He didn't know how to be attractive, as he'd never had to do it before.  Taichi had told him that step one was getting to the best friend.  

            '_Make the best friend like you, and then you have someone to support your name.'_

He pictured Ken telling Miyako that he was a prime choice and shook his head.  Ken was extremely friendly and Koushirou liked him a lot, but the idea of him helping Miyako get into a relationship seemed inconceivable.  It was pretty much assumed that he still wanted Miyako as more than a friend, and Koushirou found himself angered by the idea.  He clenched his hand into a fist but closed his eyes, willing himself to go about this logically.  There was only one way to find out for sure whether or not Ken would support him or compete with him.

            Koushirou sat nervously, his hands tapping quickly on the keyboard that sat before him.  He'd called Ken to meet him for lunch and the younger boy was already 10 minutes late, making Koushirou grad to have brought along the laptop in front of him.  Although not as widely known as a warm bath or a good book, Koushirou knew that the common cure to anxiety was neither of those things, but actually programming, and it was helping him to calm his nerves.  He was almost perfectly fine when the door of the quaint smoothie shop – Bubbo T – jingled.  Koushirou's heart jumped and he looked up, slowly tearing his gaze away from the glowing screen of his notebook, and meeting the intense violet eyes of Ken.  Koushirou smiled, closing his laptop and pushing it to the side.

            "Hello, Ken."  He said, hoping he sounded casual.  The newcomer returned the smile, taking a seat in the booth, sitting across from the older boy.

            "Hello."  He answered, folding his fingers together and resting his chin upon his propped-up hands.  Koushirou got the feeling he was sitting down for a job interview, and a nervous smile played across his lips as he mused that it might just be what it was.  An uncomfortable silence reigned over them for a moment before a waitress came to take their order.  Neither of them asked for anything big, as Koushirou didn't have much of an appetite and Ken never really indulged, either.  Koushirou stifled a sigh, having the urge to adjust his collar but not wanting to make his anxiety obvious.  He studied Ken out of the corner of his eye, sizing him up.

            Upon changing from Digimon Kaizer, Ken became one of the nicest people you could ever meet.  Still somewhat enigmatic, he was always there to help someone in need, and under regular circumstances, Koushirou wouldn't have hesitated to confide in him.  However, there were not regular circumstances.  Koushirou was attempting to court Ken's best friend.  It was widely known that Ken loved her dearly.  Whether or not it was romantic, no one was quite sure.  Koushirou was not keen on provoking any hostile emotions from Ken.  

            He met his gaze, considering just turning the conversation towards his schooling, but Miyako's smile popped into his mind and he nodded, determined.   Ken's hostility was worth Miyako's affections.  He smiled, finding it amusing that when he thought she liked him, he would have nothing to do with her, but now …

            "What may I help you with, Koushirou?"  Ken asked, bluntly.  "Interested in a collaboration?   A new project involving the Digital World?  Or …" He leaned in, gesturing for Koushirou to do the same, and whispered.

            "You wish to discuss something a bit closer to the heart."  He suggested.  Koushirou froze, unsure of what that implied.  Ken knew?  How could he!  It was expected that his best friends would suspect Koushirou would one day like Miyako, but this wasn't the same.  He rarely talked to Ken, and now the younger boy was confronting him with the fact that he desired his best friend in a romantic way.  He was unsure of what to say.  Ken couldn't know …he must be talking about something else.

            "I saw you two enjoying lunch together a few days ago."  He said, simply.  His voice was soft, not accusing, and full of respect for the other Digidestined.  Koushirou, however, felt like he was being placed beneath a hot lamp.

            "Ken..." He started, nervously.  Ken blinked, seeming surprised.

            "I don't know how Miyako feels about you, Koushirou, so I can't say I'll help you.  But you have no need to worry about telling me.  I won't tell her and I won't turn into the overly protective type.   You can trust me."  He insisted, calmly.  Koushirou breathed a sigh of relief, feeling much less intimidated.  He couldn't help feeling a bit disappointed, however, that Ken didn't know if Miyako liked him or not.  He nodded, smiling weakly.

            "Thanks."  He didn't know what to say after that, feeling awkward.  Ken had already said he didn't want to help him with Miyako.  He shifted uncomfortably and it became Ken's turn to sigh.

            "The truth is," he started, gaining Koushirou's attention, "I _want_ to be overly protective.  I can't help it, I know it's selfish and impossible and I have no right, but I still want to be in charge of who Miyako dates."  He leaned in, his eyes serious, and Koushirou tried to subtly lean back, away from Ken's intense gaze.

            "Just know this.  If it had to be someone, I'm glad it's you.  As things are, though, I'm not interested in helping you.  You're on your own."  He rose from his seat, taking one last sip from his drink.  "I'm assuming that was all you wanted to talk about, so I won't take up anymore of your time."  He nodded, leaving Koushirou speechless.

            "Goodbye, Koushirou."  He walked away, the bells above the door announcing his departure just as they had upon his arrival.  Koushirou rubbed at his eyes with weak hands, taking a shaky breath.  This would not be easy.  He reached for his notebook and pulled it towards him, flipping it open.  Time to start up that programming again.

            Ken entered his home, falling against the door and sighing, leaning his head back.  His morals were conflicting with his personal interests.  Koushirou was a good guy.  Ken respected him a lot and knew that he was kind, trustworthy, honest, intelligent ... perfect for Miyako!  But he didn't want to see her spend more time with other people, let alone other males.  She was his greatest friend, and he wasn't keen on giving her away.  He scolded himself at the way he made her sound like a possession, but he couldn't help it!

            He pushed away from the door, removing his shoes and slipping his feet into a pair of dark blue slippers.

            "I'm home!"  He called out, walking down the hall and entering his room.  No one called back, so he shrugged, dropping his jacket on his bed and scuffing back into the kitchen.  He plucked the phone off the wall, holding it in his hand and dialing the number with his thumb.  He placed it to his ear, leaning against the wall and closing his eyes.  It rang twice before someone picked up halfway through the third.

            "Hello?"  An older, male voice asked.

            "Hi, it's Ken.  May I please speak with Miyako?"  He answered, sleepily.  Miyako's brother replied.

            "Sure thing, Ken.  Hold on, I'll get her."  There was the sound of him setting the phone on the counter and Ken heard the dull thumps of footsteps mixed in with a TV and a light chatter, before a dominant voice called out.

            "Miyako!  Ken's on the phone!"  Ken allowed himself a smile.  Miyako's family didn't even know Koushirou very well, but all her siblings liked Ken.  He was already well known – and liked – by everyone in her family.

            Miyako picked up the phone and Ken heard the sounds fade along with the thud of a closing door.

            "Hey, Ken!"  She said into the receiver.

            "Hello, Miyako.  How are you?"  He asked, politely.  Regardless of how nice Koushirou was, Ken would always be a perfect gentleman.  He would never treat Miyako with anything but respect.  

            "I'm good.  Yesterday I saw Moulin Rouge.  It was fantastic!"  She answered.  She could always talk about anything with Ken.  They were completely honest with each other.

            "Oh yeah?  See it with Hikari?"

            "No, actually …" Her voice took on a strange tone.  "Koushirou asked me out.  I saw it with him."  She sounded uncertain when she spoke.

            "Oh … wow.  Can't say I didn't see it coming, though."    He would always support whatever decision she made.  He was behind her 100%.

            "No, not like that!"  She assured him, quickly, "He only asked me out because he knew I needed inspiration writing that story.  It's not like he likes me or anything."

            And someday she would see all that.  She'd realize that she and Ken went really well together.

            "Are you sure?"  He asked.

            "Well … I think so."

            He'd always be there to help her if she needed it.

            "I mean," she went on, "I don't want to get my hopes up.  The idea of Koushirou liking me is kinda appealing."

            No matter what she decided …

            "But I think he was just being a good friend, like you, Ken … Ken?  You still there?"

            He would be a good friend.

            "Yeah, Miyako, I'm still here."

            And just a good friend.

            "Don't banish the possibility, Miyako.  He'd have to be an idiot not to like you.  What would you say if he asked you out again?"

            "I don't know …" She trailed off, her voice hesitant.  Ken furrowed his brow, clenching his eyes shut.  She'd say yes.  She just didn't know it yet.

            "But I think it's best just to forget about it."  She suggested, her voice sounding a bit sad.  Ken felt his heartstrings vibrate.

            "No, don't give up.  Wait a few days and see what happens.  Who knows-" He forced a laugh "-he could be the love of your life, right in front of you, and you didn't even know it."

            He said goodbye, placing the phone back on the wall.  His eyes stared blankly ahead as he tried to stomach his emotions.  His hand remained on the phone until he lifted it again, his other hand reaching over to open a drawer, drawing forth a small number book.  He flipped through it, finding the page he wanted and dialing the number.

            A couple of rings.

            "Hello, may I please speak to Koushirou?"

            A pause.

            "Hi, Koushirou, it's Ken.  I'll help you with Miyako."

~~


End file.
